Syrian Democratic Forces

US anti-ISIS mission in Syria is ending - analysis

Ever since the last ISIS enclave was cleared, the US has been backing the SDF to continue to crack down on any ISIS cells that pop up and also to detain the ISIS fighters.

|BySETH J. FRANTZMAN
US military vehicles drive in Hasaka, Syria December 6, 2024; illustrative.
CHILDREN, PART of a group of detainees, look through a fence at al-Hol camp after the Syrian government took control of it following the withdrawal of Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), in Hasaka, Syria, January 21, 2026.

Syrian detention camp for suspected ISIS relatives nearly empty, former director says

Al-Hol, near the Iraqi border, was one of the main detention camps for relatives of suspected Islamic State fighters who were detained during the US-backed campaign against the jihadist group.

|ByREUTERS
Members of the Syrian government internal security forces gather in the northern Syrian town of Sirrin as they wait to enter the city of Kobane on February 2, 2026.

Besieged Kobane faces humanitarian disaster amid Syrian government, SDF deadlock

Reports say Kobane's ‘roads remain closed, while food and medical supplies are barred from entry’ to an area of 600,000 people.

|BySETH J. FRANTZMAN
Syrian security forces take control of Al-Hol camp in the desert region of Hasakeh Province, Syria, on January 21, 2026

Damascus says it took over Ash Shaddadi base as part of US-coordination framework

In a short statement, the defense authority in Damascus said its army assumed control of the facility south of Al Hasakah city. The announcement did not specify when the transfer took place.

|ByTHE MEDIA LINE STAFF

Syria faces major challenges in efforts to integrate US-backed SDF into military - analysis

The US under Trump aims for a stable, unified Syria, with Barrack tasked to achieve this, including bringing the SDF into Damascus.

JULY 10, 2025BySETH J. FRANTZMAN
A person holds flags as people celebrate after the Kurdish-led and US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which controls much of Syria's oil-rich northeast, has signed a deal agreeing to integrate into Syria's new state institutions, the Syrian presidency said on Monday, in Damascus, Syria Mar

US pulls out of two more bases in Syria, worrying Kurdish forces

It is the first confirmation on the ground by reporters that the US has withdrawn from Al-Wazir and Tel Baydar bases in Hasaka province.

JUNE 17, 2025ByREUTERS
SYRIAN DEMOCRATIC FORCES and US troops are seen during a patrol near Turkish border in Hasakah, Syria, in November.

Syria continues to build its new army as it looks to integrate various armed groups

The backbone of the army are the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham units that came out of Idlib and had fought Assad’s military for years, as well as units from southern Syria and units linked to Turkey.

JUNE 2, 2025BySETH J. FRANTZMAN
Syrian army personnel gather as they head towards Latakia to join the fight against the fighters linked to Syria's ousted leader Bashar al-Assad, in Aleppo, Syria, March 7, 2025.

Syrian Kurdish commander says group in direct contact with Turkey, open to Israel ties

"We have direct ties, direct channels of communication with Turkey, as well as through mediators, and we hope that these ties are developed," the commander said.

MAY 30, 2025ByREUTERS
Commander-in-chief of the SDF, General Mazloum Abdi, in his military uniform.

US military poised to slash troops in Syria, officials say

The US plans to cut its troop presence in Syria by half, consolidating bases as part of a broader regional military review.

APRIL 16, 2025ByREUTERS
A soldier from the US-led coalition holds the hand of a boy during a joint US- Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) patrol in the countryside of Qamishli in northeastern Syria, February 8, 2024.

Syrian Kurds push for autonomy, security forces as part of federal system

The demand for federal rule has gathered momentum as alarm spread through Syria's minorities over last month's mass killings of Alawites.

APRIL 10, 2025ByREUTERS
Syrian Kurds make the peace sign as they gather after Turkey's jailed militant leader Abdullah Ocalan called on his Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) to lay down its arms in Hasakah, Syria February 27, 2025.

Newroz celebrations reflect shifting dynamics for Kurds across Middle East - analysis

There is hope in eastern Syria that Kurdish politics could become more open to different Kurdish political parties.

MARCH 23, 2025BySETH J. FRANTZMAN
Iraqi Kurds wave flags of Iraqi Kurdistan during a demonstration

Historic deal between Damascus and Kurdish-led SDF could transform Syria - analysis

The image of the two men meeting, having discarded their military uniforms and put on suits, illustrates how leaders can seize the moment and opt for peace over war. 

MARCH 11, 2025BySETH J. FRANTZMAN
The leader of the Syrian Democratic Forces signed a deal on March 11 with Syria’s new president Ahmed al-Sharaa

Kurdish SDF chief says he's open to support from Israel in Syria

SDF commander Mazloum Abdi says he welcomes Israeli support to protect Kurdish achievements, as regional tensions and security challenges persist.

MARCH 6, 2025ByJAMES GENN
Commander-in-chief of the SDF, General Mazloum Abdi, in his military uniform.

Abdullah Ocalan calls on PKK to dissolve, regional leaders react

Regional leaders welcome calls for the PKK to lay down arms and dissolve.

FEBRUARY 27, 2025ByREUTERS
Syrian Kurds hold flags as they gather after Turkey's jailed militant leader Abdullah Ocalan called on his Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) to lay down its arms on Thursday, a move that could end its 40-year conflict with Ankara and have far-reaching political and security consequences for the region,